Sakumo's Promise
by RayneXHatake
Summary: Her favorite part of the day was their bedtime routine. She loved watching her boys, but what happens when Kakashi meets a little girl on the playground who just lost her ninja mother? A tough question and a father's promise.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

Okay here's another one-shot about my favorite family, the Hatakes. It's just another plot bunny making me not study and write for them! So ummm please review and tell me how you like it or don't like it.

* * *

Twenty-three-year-old Hatake Natsuki stood outside her son's room and listened to him say goodnight and goodbye to his Dad. Sakumo had a three week mission starting early the next morning and he would be long gone before Kakashi got up to start his day. Kakashi didn't know this, but it was a very high ranked mission and Sakumo's chances of coming home uninjured were slim.

Natsuki shook her head to clear her thoughts. Her husband was strong in both body and mind. He would be just fine and make it back to them in one piece. If he didn't, well, she would revive his sorry behind and murder him with his own tanto.

Natsuki smiled to herself as she watched the two together. This had been the same bedtime routine for them since Kakashi was a baby.

Natsuki's family had never liked Sakumo, and whenever they got married her family refused to help them. Admittedly, getting married as a teenager wasn't the wisest thing she's ever done, but she didn't regret it.

At first everything was okay. Yeah, they were living paycheck to paycheck, but they were making it just fine. Then Natsuki got pregnant and had to stop taking missions. Money was tight for a long time and they had to move to a cramped one bed room apartment, but they made it through.

The only problem was that in the beginning both her and Sakumo were taking missions during the day so they could support their small family. That meant Kakashi was left with a sitter a lot when he was a baby. So she and Sakumo invented a bed time routine so they could spend time with their son at night.

Luckily, Sakumo's career took off and he became one of the top requested jounin for missions, while Natsuki soon started to earn her own mission requests because of her reputation.

Needless to say, they were now doing great and back in a proper house.

Natsuki stood at the door and couldn't help noticing how alike her son and husband were. Both had the same untamed silver hair, though Sakumo's was longer, and they both had the same chin and nose. Sakumo definitely marked his child and could never deny that the boy was his.

Movement from the room broke her from her thoughts as she watched both of her boys kneel beside the bed and began their nightly prayers. Sakumo bowed his head, closed his eyes and folded his hand together. This was her favorite part of their nightly routine, 'cause as soon as Sakumo knelt down and started his prayers, Kakashi would copy his every movement. He would close his eyes, bow his head, and fold his hands together exactly like Sakumo was doing. He would even mouth out the prayer that Sakumo was saying. Natsuki bowed her head as well and asked God to watch over her husband and bring him home safely and she also thanked Him for the blessings she had received.

She watched as Sakumo tucked Kakashi into the bed and began a story about a fox that was determined to find the greatest ramen in the entire world. She heard her son's light laughter and her husband's rough chuckle as they neared the end of the story. Their voices floated over her as they winded down.

"Tousan, when are you coming home?" Sakumo lightly ran his finger through Kakashi's hair.

"I'll be back in three weeks. Do you think you can watch your mother for me 'Kashi?"

The little boy yawned, "Of course Tousan"

"Good cause I need someone to make sure your mother doesn't get any boyfriends while I'm gone." Sakumo's tone was very teasing was he leaned down to brush a kiss against his son's forehead. "You be a good boy for Kaasan. Good night 'Kashi."

Kakashi yawned again as tried to not drift off into sleep. "Night Tousan"

Sakumo walked to the door and was caught by his wife.

"Boyfriends?"

Sakumo laughed. "I knew you were listening so, I wanted to tease you."

Natsuki lightly smacked his arm, "Sure you did. I'm going to say goodnight then I'll be up in a minute."

Sakumo just nodded and climbed the stairs to their bedroom on the third floor.

* * *

Natsuki walked to her son's bed and sat down on the side.

"Did you enjoy Tousan's story?"

Kakashi grinned despite his sleepiness.

"Yep!"

"That's good, now how about-"

"Kaasan"

Kakashi interrupted Natsuki and she found herself looking down into watery eyes.

"Yeah 'Kashi?"

The boy looked out the window before swallowing thickly.

"Tousan's going to come back from his mission right?"

Natsuki looked in shock at her son. "Of course 'Kashi, why would you ask that?"

"'Cause at the playground today there was a girl there and her Kaasan didn't come back from the last mission."

Natsuki's mind automatically remembered than there had been a death recently. A chunin if she remembered correctly.

Kakashi continued. "She said her Kaasan promised she would be back, just like Tousan did, but she didn't come back."

Natsuki watched in sadness as the tears fell down her four-year-old son's face.

"Shush, 'Kashi, shush. It's okay, shush. Your Tousan is going to come home, but there is a chance that he won't." Natsuki looked her son in the eye, "there is always a chance that a ninja can be killed on a mission. It's part of the job description, but your Tousan has something precious here that he wants to come home to and will fight death the entire way before he leaves it."

Kakashi sniffed, "Really? What?"

Natsuki laughed and picked up her son, "Why you silly, and me. We are The White Fang of Konoha's most precious people." Kakashi's tears had slowed down, but they hadn't stopped, "So how about this lets dry your tears and you can sleep with me and Tousan tonight."

Kakashi's face brightened, "Really!"

"Yep!"

Natsuki picked up her son and carried him up the stairs.

Sakumo was already in the bed and sat up when he saw who she was carrying.

"Something wrong?"

Natsuki smiled and placed Kakashi between them. Sakumo noticed the drying tears on his son's chubby cheeks and held the boy close. Natsuki looked at her son, who was so exhausted from crying that he had fallen asleep already.

"Today Kakashi met Haratoma Sayuri's daughter, you know the chunin that was killed in action, and he was just a little scared about losing his Tousan."

Sakumo nodded and reached across Kakashi and kissed his wife goodnight.

"So did you settle his fears?"

"I tried, but I think it's best that he sleeps in here tonight."

Sakumo smiled as he watched his wife nestle between the covers and peacefully fall asleep. The White Fang looked at his family as he fingered the dog tags around his neck. Suddenly they felt a lot more like lead.

* * *

The next morning Sakumo woke up to a scene he wanted to keep forever engraved into his mind. During the night Kakashi had scooted close to Sakumo and was curled against his side and Natsuki's arm was draped over the boy. They both looked to adorable to leave, but duty called, so Sakumo got out of bed and went to shower to wake himself up.

When he returned from his shower and was getting dressed, Kakashi was sitting up in bed blinking the sleep from his eyes.

"Kakashi? Go back to sleep. It's very early."

Kakashi didn't speak he just got out of bed and hugged his father's legs.

"Come home soon Tousan. I love you."

Sakumo smiled and picked his son up before replying. "I love you 'Kashi, and I'll be home as soon as I can okay?"

He never got his answer 'cause Kakashi was drifting off again. The White Fang just slipped his son back in bed, kissed his forehead, grabbed his tanto from its resting place, and slipped his mask over his face. He walked out the door into the early morning and met his teammates at the gate.

As they left the Village gates Sakumo looked over his shoulder and smiled in the direction of his house.

"No matter what, I'll come home to you Kakashi. I swear on my honor as a ninja. I won't die on a mission."

Back at the Hatake house, Kakashi smiled in his sleep. 


End file.
